David Lammy, the son of Guyanese immigrants who grew up poor in a working-class London family, was appointed Britain’s chief diplomat on Friday, putting him in charge of leading British foreign policy at a time of great challenges.
The 51-year-old Lamy has deep ties to the US, having spent summers with relatives in Brooklyn and Queens and earned a master’s degree from Harvard Law School.
Lammy met Barack Obama 20 years ago at a gathering of black Harvard alumni and had dinner with him when he visited London this year. Lammy campaigned in Chicago during Obama’s first presidential campaign and has deep connections within the Democratic Party.
in Essay in Foreign Affairs magazine In his report published in April, Lamy wrote that he would focus on rebuilding the company. Links with the European UnionRegarding the situation in Ukraine, where tensions are rising following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, he said his priority is to support Ukraine.
“Above all, the UK must continue to support Ukraine,” he wrote. “The future of European security depends on the outcome of the war in Ukraine and the UK Government must leave the Kremlin confident that it will support Kiev until victory is achieved.”
Labour has said its commitment to NATO is “unwavering” and has vowed to increase military spending from 2.2 percent of gross domestic product to 2.5 percent “as soon as possible.” On the war in Gaza, the party has said it calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all Israeli hostages being held there.
In an interview with The New York Times earlier this year, Lammy said that if he were honoured to become foreign secretary, he would be “very conscious of the fact that I would be the first foreign secretary who is the descendant of slaves. It’s an emotional thing to say.”